Mirro exhibit celebrates colorful past

This undated photo shows a view inside the old Mirro manufacturing plant in Manitowoc. The Mirro Aluminum Company, Mirro for short, was an aluminum cookware company operating in Manitowoc from 1909 to 2003.(Photo: Courtesy of Manitowoc County Historical Society)

MANITOWOC - Although wrecking balls will soon swing holes into the old downtown Mirro building, one Manitowoc-area resident hopes to preserve the company's long history.

The Mirro Aluminum Company, Mirro for short, was an aluminum cookware company operating in Manitowoc from 1909 to 2003. Today, the once-thriving company's vacant building is seen as an eyesore by many and is slated to come down in the next month or so.

But Mishicot resident Mike Steeber says much remains to be known about Mirro and the role it played in Manitowoc.

The history buff has put together a display that includes more than 200 unique items encompassing more than a century of design and manufacturing expertise illustrating ways Mirro shaped American culture and industrial design.

The Goods Aluminum Design Gallery will be open to the public from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at Kavarna Coffeehouse, 143 N. Broadway, in Green Bay. The event is free and open to the public.

The showroom inside the former Mirro manufacturing building in Manitowoc.(Photo: Courtesy of Manitowoc County Historical Society)

Those who attend can expect to see everything from hair combs made by the company as novelty items to an aluminum Christmas tree.

"It's something you have to see to appreciate," Steeber said. "For anyone who worked at Mirro, or even lived in the community, it's like a walk down memory lane. There are so many things they made that I didn't even know they made until I started my research. I always thought they were the company that made pots and pans, but they are so much more than that."

The display is meant to show the impact Mirro had on culture and society more than to provide a straight historical timeline of the manufacturing company, Steeber said.

For instance, famous industrial designer Brooks Stevens once designed cookware for Mirro. Among his other credits, he manufactured the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile. Of note is his design of the Miller Brewing logo, and he also is credited with persuading the brewer to use clear bottles rather than traditional brown.

The company also worked with gourmet popcorn king Orville Redenbacher and had products featured on The Tonight Show.

"It really is fascinating," Steeber said. "The more I researched, the more I realized I didn't know."

He has been researching the company for the past four years. History is a passion he gets from his family, Steeber said. And both his grandmother and grandfather worked for Mirro — his grandfather for 35 years.

"So many people think of Mirro as the company that made pots and pans," he said. "That's not how I think it should be remembered."

Friends and family plan to drive from the Manitowoc area to see this weekend's display. Steeber said he plans to use the Green Bay event to gauge interest in the project, which he hopes eventually to bring to Manitowoc.

"I think everyone around here either worked or has a connection to someone who worked at Mirro," he said. "I believe people will be interested. When I showed stuff to my grandpa, he remembered working on certain items."

In addition, the city received $398,000 from the Brownfield Advisory Committee for environmental remediation of the site, and officials are seeking another $500,000 grant from Wisconsin.

The city acquired the rundown Mirro building at 1512 Washington St. in July and has since been moving forward with the demolition plans. Environmental remediation began toward the end of 2016 to remove asbestos, lead and other hazardous materials from the site.

Under a city contract, demolition should take place between March 1 and July 1.